National University defends SSL title starting Friday

National University's women's volleyball team aims to defend its Shakey's Super League (SSL) title in the Collegiate Pre-season Championship starting Friday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The tournament includes all 18 top teams from both UAAP and NCAA, with National University grouped alongside Arellano University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Ateneo de Manila University, and San Beda University in Pool A.

Each pool's top two teams will advance to the quarterfinals where the top-ranked team receives a twice-to-beat advantage.

Pool D features NCAA champion Far Eastern University (FEU) and San Sebastian College-Recoletos, which are set to kick off the tournament on Friday.

The league continues to implement an all-to-play format requiring teams to field all players from their roster in the first two sets of each match. Games will be available on various streaming platforms.

Dr. Ian Laurel, president of SSL organizer Athletic Events and Sports Management, Inc., emphasized that the tournament aims to provide exposure for rookies and encourage more playing time for all players.